Holder for fire extinguishers



' f D. KRAKAUER HOLDER FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Filed Dec. 23, 1942 INVENTOR. Dame] Krakauer AORNEY Patented Dec. 21, 1943 HOLDER FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Daniel Krakauer, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Kay Manufacturing Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 23, 194,2, Serial No. 469,905

7 Claims.

This invention relates to holders for fire extinguishers and particularly to the type which is quickly and easily releasable by unskilled persons or in the excitement of an emergency.

Present holders for such extinguishers not only necessitate the use of an excessive amount of metal, now scarce, but do not hold with sufficient firmness and thereby permit the extinguisher to rattle or move slightly in various directions, esspecially in combat vehicles or vessels such as tanks, warships and the like where vibrations, shock and impact are to be expected in normal operation.

The invention therefore contemplates the provision of an economical holder, employing a minimum amount of material and made largely of wire, which, while holding the extinguisher rmly against movement under the stresses of vibration, shock and impact, is so constructed that the extinguisher is readily and quickly removable from the holder by the natural action to be expected of an excited person in emergencies.

'I'he various objects of the invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side view of the holder as it appears when secured to a wall, showing the extinguisher held thereby.

Fig. 2 is a front view 0f the same, part of the extinguisher being omitted to expose the holder to view.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective View of a modified form of the upper spring por.- tion or top of the holder.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of a modified o! the lower part of the holder, showing the extinguisher in dash-dot lines.

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of other modified forms of the same.

In the practical embodiment of the invention shown by way of example, the holder, designated generally by the numeral IB. is made preferably of a single piece or length of wire, and is preferably formed symmetrically about its longitudinal center line. Spacing clips or braces as II, I2 and I3 arranged at suitable intervals and preferably at bends in the wire, connect the long upright sides of the holder and prevent relative longitudinal and transverse movement of said sides. Each clip is preferably made of sheet metal having its end edge portions I4 bent into cylindrical form and wrapped around the wire of the holder sides, and has a dat connecting portion I5 pierced as by the holes I6, Il for the passage therethrough of suitable fastening means such as the screws I 8 (Fig. l) into the wall I9 or other supporting surface.

The wire of which the holder is made is of sufficient diameter and of the proper material to give the spring action later to be described and to impart the desired strength and holding action to the Wire. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the ends of the wire at the bottom of the holder are turned upwardly and held by the clip 20 to form the upstanding lip 2| adapted to engage the lower front of the extinguisher 22 thereby to aid in seen that said elements are sufficiently spaced apart to receive the nipple 24 between them. The bottom 23 of the holder prevents the extinguisher nipple from being withdrawn trans' versely from the holder,l whether the lip 2l is present or not by reason of the spring pressure exerted thereby upon the bottom of the extinguisher. In other words, the bottom 23 serves as a spring owing to its shape and position and to the bend 26 which connects it to the holder sides 2l, 28. The distance between the top 29 ofy the holder and said bottom 23 is preferably less l than the length of the extinguisher to obtain the aforesaid spring action.

While the wire sides of the holder are prefer` ably upright generally, they need not be precisely parallel either` throughout or at the various sec` tions thereof, but may be made convergent or divergent as may be found convenient, being preferably somewhat convergent at the bends 35 for the purpose later to be described. As shown at' the portion 32, between the upper narrower portion 30 of the sides and the lower similarly narrower portion 3|, the sides are preferably, though not necessarily, transversely spaced apart a` somewhat greater distance than at the remainder of the rear part of the holder to give a greater bearing area against the supporting wall or surface. Suitable reversely curved bends as 33, 34 ein the side portions 32 to the portions Bil and The top 29 of the helder cooperates with the' bottom 23 to press the extinguisher therebetween with considerable force because of the spring action of said top and bottom. lIhe extinguisher is thereby adequately held against vibration or movement in any direction. Additional points of contact between the holder and extinguisher are additional precautions against possible vibration or rattling under the most adverse conditions. Such points are the lip 2i which contacts with the front lower part `of the extinguisher, the clips Il, l2 and I3, the cylindrical portions of which contact the back part of the extinguisher, and the spring bendsl which may squeeze between them the at parts 3 of the bearing or stuffing box for the plunger rod 3l of the extinguisher. Said bends are transversely spaced apart the correct distance to effect this purpose, the distance being preferably less than the distance between the flat faces 36, and the bends preferably converging toward each other as has been previously menti-oned. Said bends 35 are closed at the iront thereof, the lower branch of each bend being joined to the corresponding upright side of the section or portion 3Q by the inclined part 38, and

the upper branch extending substantially horizontally and rearwardly. The upright part 39 connects the upper branch to the forwardly extending top 29.

'Said top may be formed in somewhat different shapes depending on whether the ends of the one piece length of wire are arranged at the top (Fig. 3) or elsewhere. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the wire ends being arranged at the lip 2l and there joined at the bottom of the holder, the spaced side elements of the top 29 are integrally joined by the transverse part 40 at the ends of the upwardly and forwardly inclined parts 4 l. A downwardly extending indent 42 is formed in the top 29 intermediate its front and rear in such position that it is in the path of the handle 43 of the extinguisher when the extinguisher is in a forwardly inclined position with its bottom resting on the holder bottom 23. Consequently, when the handle 43 is pressed rearwardly toward the wall I9, it engages the indent42 and raises the top 29 against the downward spring pressure thereof and snaps past the indent into the position of Figs. 1 and 2. The distance between the top and bottom of the holder being normally less than the corresponding length of the extinguisher, the resulting spring pressure of the top and bottom of the holder when the extinguisher is forced therebetween upon the corresponding parts of the extinguisher is considerable and enough, as has been indicated, to maintain the extinguisher in place under severe conditions against vibration or relative movement of any kind. aided by the bends 35 and the spacing clips. To remove the extinguisher in the easist way, the front end of the top 29 is slightly lifted, as it easily can be by reason of the length of the upper part of the holder and the bends therein and the consequent obtainable leverage and yieldability of the top, and the extinguisher is tilted forwardly out or the holder. However, in case of confusion or excitement, if the user fails to lift the top as described, a forward pull on any portion of the upper part of the holder, which is the natural way in which one would grasp the extinguisher for removal thereof, will carry the handle 43 forwardly past the indent 42 to tilt the extinguisher out of the holder, the top 29 yielding upwardly under such forward pull.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, each of the side fi i) elements of the top 45 terminates in a loop 46 providing a depressed part 47 serving the same purpose as vthe indent 42. In this case, a clip 48 similar to the clips Il, i2 and i3 joins the upright portions 39 near the bends 35 to prevent relative transverse movement of the end loops.

Modiiied forms of the bottom of the holder are shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, these forms being adapted for use with extinguishers 22 having discharge nipples diiering in length. As shown in Fig. 4 instead of arranging the ends of the one piece length of wire at the lower end of the holder, they may be arranged elsewhere, as at the top (Fig. 3), or at any point of the sides in the cylinder I4 of one of the braces or clips Il, I2 or I3. The transverse part 50 joins the upwardly convex spaced side elements 5l of the bottom 52, and is arranged a lesser distance from the upright sides of the holder than the diameter of the extinguisher. No lip is therefore provided in this form for holding the front bottom of the extinguisher and dependence is had largely upon the cooperating spring pressure of the top and bottom which press the extinguished` between them and thereby hold it in place. A forward pull on the top of the extinguisher removes it quickly for use.

In Fig. 5, the integral closed lip 55 is provided in place of the lip 2l of Fig. 1, the integral transverse part 5B joining the spaced side elements of the upwardly convex spring bottom 5l.

In Fig. 6, a complete loop 6E) is made in each side element Bl of the bottom 62 to accentuate the spring action of said bottom. This may more readily be done where the discharge nipple as e3 projects substantially below the bottom of the extinguisher, the loop also serving to protect the extinguisher to some extent.

It will be seen that the type of lip 2! or 55, and the type of top 29 or 45 depends on where the ends of the length of wire are to be arranged, and that the lip may be omitted entirely if desired. In all the forms of the invention shown, there is provided a single length of wire having its end parts clamped together, said length being bent to form comparatively strong top and bottom springs with or without additional holding parts acting by friction, to produce a simple but economical holder preventing movement or vibration of the extinguisher even under highly adverse conditions.

Modications of the specific structure shown,

may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a holder for re extinguishers, a one piece length of wire bent to form a pair of similar transversely spaced longitudinal sides ar ranged symmetrically about the longitudinal center line therebetween, a top and a bottom each having transversely spaced apart side elements projecting forwardly from the respectivel ient and thereby serving as springs to press upon l an extinguisher inserted therebetween, said top having a downwardly extending indent therein yielding upwardly under the pressure of an extinguisher handle forced therepast and moving downwardly under the spring action of the top when the handle has passed the indent, and transverse perforated braces of sheet material joining said sides and each having a flat back for contact with a flat wall, at least one of said braces being arranged in proximity to the ends of the sides.

2. A holder according to claim 1 having an upstanding lip at the front end of the bottom of the holder.

3. A holder according to claim 1 in which each of the bottom elements has a loop therein enhancing the spring action of the bottom.

4. In a holder for fire extinguishers, a one piece length of wire having transversely spaced substantially upright sides, a spring top projecting forwardly of the upper parts of said sides and forming a yieldable continuation thereof, a spring bottom convex upwardly and projecting forwardly of and forming a yieldable continuation of the lower parts of said sides, and braces of sheet material joining said sides at spaced intervals, said braces having perforaticns therein for the passage therethrough of securing means and having a flat portion rearwardly of the rearmost parts of said sides and securable to a wall to maintain the holder in forward spaced relation to said wall.

5. A holder according to claim 4 having an lupstanding lip at the front end of the bottom of the holder.

6. A holder according to claim 4 having an upstanding lip at the front end of the bottom of the holder and having a pair of loops in the bottom intermediate the ends of said bottom.

7. A holder for fire extinguishers comprising a length of wire having a body portion, said portion consisting of two similar side elements in transverse spaced relation and symmetrical about a longitudinal line arranged half Way therebetween, parts of said side elements being spaced apart a distance greater than other parts thereof by corresponding sets of bends in said side elements, braces of sheet material wrapped at their end edge portions about said side elements and perforated, the remaining parts of the braces having flat rear faces to bear against a flat wall, one of the braces being arranged adjacent one of the corresponding sets of bends and another of the braces being arranged adjacent another corresponding set of the bends, said bends preventing longitudinal movement of the braces along the side elements, a top portion having two transversely spaced wire elements each forming a, forward continuation of one of the side elements, said top portion having a part thereof intermediate its ends and in substantial forward spaced relation to said side elements projecting downwardly from said top portion and adapted to be engaged by the handle of the extinguisher when said extinguisher is moved into and out of the holder, said top being yieldable about its point of connection to the side elements to form a spring, parallel, forwardly bent portions on the side elements and held.-` the top portion each lying in a vertical plane and arranged to engage and frictionally hold an intermediate part of the extinguisher below the top thereof, a bottom portion having two transversely spaced elements each forming a forward continuation of each of the side elements and yieldable about its point of connecf tion thereto to serve as a spring, and a transtending forwardly a greater distance than the top portion.

DANIEL KRAKAUER. 

